Recently I learned ‘Gallagher’s Frolics’ starting in ‘E’ - no problem - I was surprised at how quickly it came to me. Now I’m ‘learning’ Dowd’s Reel starting in ‘G’ and it’s like pulling teeth - it’s coming but really slow. So I’m wondering why the difference in time to learn. To me Gallagher’s Frolics seems very rhythmic and I thought Dowd’s Reel was also till I realized there are some little nuances in the tune - yet the tune is not sticking. Could it be that I’m more familiar with the key of tunes that start in E or D than G ? Wondering.
Are you learning Dowd’s favourite? That’s a G minor (or G dorian if you like). I can see that presenting a problem, between the F naturals and B flats I mean.
It’s all about choosing your battles. This one you may want to put on the shelf for another while.
Or try it in Ador, which is a bit easier.
Dowd’s Reel as posted on ‘the session’ - first version - no F or Bb — maybe the problem is I’m 3 months older 
Maybe give us a link then. Thesession only gives me Joe O’Dowd’s, Dowd’s Favourite, Dowd’s number nine, Tom Dowd’s for reels. And the only one in G (if dorian) is Dowd’s Favourite.
Yes - it’s Dowd’s Favourite Reel - the first one posted in the session but I’m playing it starting in G not F - it’s not at all difficult to play - it’s just not sticking.
Yes, it starts in G but G minor, unless you are playing the fourth or fifth versions on the session (which are the ones without the Fnat and Bflat). I am trying to understand the problem and the things you say just don’t add up and I am trying to get a handle on it.
So is it this:
X: 1
T: Dowd’s Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gdor
F|DGGA BABF|DFF2 DFCF|DGGA BABd|cAfA AGG:|!
A|B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|B2dB fBdB|cAFA BGGA|!
B2dB fBdB|B2dB cAFA|BAGF Ggge|fdcA BGG|]!
z|gdd2 g2ag|fcc2 fcAc|gdd2 g2ag|fdcA BGG2|!
gdd2 g2ag|fcc2 fcAF|GABc dgge|fdcA BGG|]!
or this:
T: Dowd’s Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
G|EAAB cBcG|EGG2 EGDG|EAAB cBce|dBgB BAA:|!
B|c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|c2ec gcec|dBGB cAAB|!
c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|cBAG Aaaf|gedB cAA|]!
z|aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBd|aee2 a2ba|gedB cAA2|!
aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBG|ABcd eaaf|gedB cAA|]!
you’re playing?
Other than that, if you have no specific need to learn a tune, sometimes it’s best to let it lie. In my experience tunes seem to pick their own time and when they do, they stick without a problem.
Hee hee, I thought this was about a new tune called “Pulling Teeth”!
Mr.G - I’m playing the 2nd one - again it’s easy to play, even quickly if I’m watching the notes but I seem to be having trouble getting the tune to stick in my head. I f I play it a bit watching the notes and then close my eyes I can play it - next day I’m stumbling over it again. Probably just impatience on my part as it is coming but slowly - slower than usual.
For me, often the difference between the kind of tune that comes out from under the fingers effortlessly, and the kind of tune that resists my efforts to retain it, is that I’ve come across a compelling recording of the former. If I can find a good recording of a tune, with playing or a style or an arrangement that grabs my ear and replays in my mind, playing the tune myself becomes a matter of transferring it to the fingers. On the other hand, if I only know a tune from a recording I don’t care for, or if I only know it from a transcription, I’ve found it very difficult to retain–and I’ve seldom had any motivation to try.
Although–maybe two years back I had a go at learning The Old Copperplate from the dots. After a while I gave up, because for some reason the tune wasn’t sticking. Well, a couple weeks ago I was at a session, enjoying the playing and the listening, and someone started up a reel in Ador that sounded familiar, though I couldn’t place it. I didn’t think I’d ever played it before, but I picked up my whistle, and out it came! Only later did I realize the connection. So, I’m wondering if my frustrating attempt at learning the tune, two years ago, wasn’t completely in vain after all.
I see! Lack of a compelling recording is perhaps not your issue. 
@ retired: I see. So you’re listening to Tara Breen play the tune in G minor (she doesn’t really play like any if the dots on the session.org - I have my own transcription from her playing if you’re interested); yet you’re trying to learn the tune from a setting in Ador*. The two will sound quite different. Is that why you’re having a hard time getting the tune?
\
- note that neither setting is in G. In the version played by Tara, there are most definitely B flats and F naturals, as in the majority of settings on the session.org. As Mr Gumby implied, is that why you’re having difficulty?
Well, that’s a few terminology issues cleared up.
It was really Michael Coleman who set the standard for this tune and as with a lot of Coleman tunes, almost all versions after were derived from his. Tommy Potts had his way with it too, Tara Breen using some of his touches in her take on it.
Both Ador versions on the Session are a bit off the standard route so that may be one of the issues. And Ador, like Ben says, doesn’t quite do the same as the G does it for the tune on the fiddle.
I don’t think I have much more advice than maybe getting the C whistle out and play along with the recording until you have it the way you want it.
[added:] That all said and done, I just had a little go at the tune after my breakfast and I got an acceptable enough version going on the whistle so maybe it was time for the tune to stick with me in some form. But then, I have been hearing versions of it for over forty years.
Hello
I have always found learning new jigs to be easier that learning new reels. As well to me Gallaghers Frolics was a fairly easy tune to learn and to play well. I never learned to play Dowds Reel and, like Mr Gumby, I too have been listening to it for over thirty years. I would have classed this as a tough reel to learn and especially to play well. I would class Dowds as a ‘fiddle tune’ and would not really put myself to the bother of learning it without good reason.
Cheers
John
Hi John,
I will get to those concertina tapes.
Hi Mr Gumby
No problem.
Keep well
John
OK - wasn’t really trying to emulate Tara’s version - just inspired by it. Well the tune has come - I was finally able to hum it while brushing my teeth - maybe I should brush 'em more often. Seems like Cooley’s Reel came faster than this one - must be cause I’m 3 months older !
OK I just had a quick go at this one
T: Dowd’s Favourite
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
G|EAAB cBcG|EGG2 EGDG|EAAB cBce|dBgB BAA:|!
B|c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|c2ec gcec|dBGB cAAB|!
c2ec gcec|c2ec dBGB|cBAG Aaaf|gedB cAA|]!
z|aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBd|aee2 a2ba|gedB cAA2|!
aee2 a2ba|gdd2 gdBG|ABcd eaaf|gedB cAA|]!
and it’s one of those tunes that’s very easy to pick up on the fly because 1) it’s entirely made up from familiar bits and 2) as Gumby said we’ve heard it many times over the years. (I do find myself making little changes here and there as I play it to make it sit under the fingers better.)
It goes to the thing, for me, about there being various different levels of ‘knowing’ a tune. There are tunes I’ve never played but heard many times and at a session I’ll be playing along quickly as long as the tune doesn’t have quirky bits. Then there are tunes that I’ve sightread through, maybe several times, over the years but never memorised but as was said above when they pop up at session the tune is somewhat there under your fingers. There are tunes I’ve never heard or played but constructed out of familiar bits and are thus easy to quickly pick up.
None of these rise to the level of knowing a tune, really, in the terms of being able to play it solo at the drop of a hat.
With tunes I can play at the drop of the hat, there are tunes I can generate when needed. Then there are tunes I’ve spent a lot of time and thought with that I’ve reworked into a style that fits me better and also come up with a number of alternative ways of playing various passages. These are the tunes I really ‘know’.